The Counter-Clock Incident (episode)
When the Enterprise enters a negative universe, former captain Robert April saves the ship as the crew age backwards! Summary The [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS Enterprise]] is en route to planet Babel, where Ambassadors of all Federation planets have gathered for a ceremony dedicated to the retirement of Commodore Robert April, first captain of the Enterprise. He and his wife Sarah travel aboard the Enterprise. The ship takes a detour to view the Beta Niobe nova. Suddenly, the ship's sensors pick up an unidentified vessel on collision course with the Enterprise, at the incredible speed of about Warp 36. A collision with Enterprise is averted, but it now seems to be on a heading right into the Beta Niobe nova. Captain Kirk tries to warn the alien captain, but there is no response. The Enterprise locks it's tractor beam on the ship, hoping to slow it down before it enters the nova. The other vessel now starts communication in a seemingly unknown language. Uhura finds out that it was, in fact, a reversed universal language. Due to the extreme speeds, the tractor beam will not disengage. The Enterprise is forced to enter the nova together with the unknown vessel. Remarkably, both ships survive the nova, but seem to have entered an alternate universe. It seems to be a negative universe, where black stars shine in a white empty space. Time is also reversed, and the crew is slowly growing younger. Further contact is made with the unknown ship, which turns out to be commanded by a woman called Karla Five. She was observing a similar nova, but in the negative universe, before she accidentally travelled into our universe. The Enterprise sets course to Karla's homeworld, Arret. They look for another nova that is in the same position in both universe, in order to travel home. But the crew have slowly become infants, and cannot control the ship anymore. The Aprils, though, have turned into a healthy young couple, and as such take command of the ship. They fly the Enterprise towards the nova, and travel back to the positive universe. Background Information Dialogue in this episode claims the Enterprise was the first ship with warp drive. This contradicts the animated series' own backstory, as in "The Time Trap", it is stated that the ''Bonaventure'' was the first. However, the Animated Series status as non-canon means that neither is taken into account, and Star Trek: First Contact sets it in canon as the Phoenix. Captain Robert April was actually one of many names considered for the first Enterprise captain, but Christopher Pike, and later, James T. Kirk, won out. The viewscreen images of the Milky Way galaxy shown in this episode shows "Earth/Arret" being located on the opposite end of the galaxy from where the Beta Niobe nova was shown to be located. This however would be unlikely considering the limitations of warp travel in Federation ships. Links and References Guest Stars * James Doohan as Lieutenant Arex * James Doohan as Commodore Robert April * Nichelle Nichols as Dr. Sarah April * Nichelle Nichols as Karla Five * James Doohan as Karl 4 References Capella IV, mandatory retirement, San Francisco Fleet Yards, United States of Africa Counter-Clock Incident, The de:Flucht aus einem anderen Universum nl:The Counter-Clock Incident